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Database searching - a basic guide

If you need to find references to journal articles to include in your assignment or presentation then you will need to know how to use an electronic database. This guide is intended to help you learn about databases and some basic search techniques.

The search skills you will learn through taking the tutorial will also be helpful when searching for information in general, in print or on the Web.

You should be aware that each database has its own interface and its own peculiarities and so you also need to familiarise yourself with the way in which your own subject databases work .

If you need to use a database which is not familiar to you then make use of the online help facility available in the database.

Basic steps that you need to follow when planning to use a database

1. Examine types of databases such as full text or full image and bibliographic
2. Choose a database related to your subject area
3. Analyse the search query
1. Write search query as a statement i.e. main terms that your wish to search for.
2. Specify all different ways in which a term can be described i.e. key words, synonyms and alternative spellings.
3. Identify all the possible ways to limit the search results such as by date, language, and type of publication.
4. Use the correct search language. For instance:Finding information on "Higher education in Britain" can be expressed in two main search terms: "Higher education, Britain". Alternative terms for "Higer education" can be such as Universities, Colleges, and Tertiary education, while "Britain" can be such as United Kingdom, England, and UK.
4. Searching techniques such as Boolean operators(AND, OR and NOT) and phrase searching

Click here to find example of electronic databases.